


Recovery

by punk_rock_yuppie



Series: I Will Help You Swim [4]
Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Making Up, acting like MATURE ADULTS, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-03-10
Packaged: 2018-05-25 21:04:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6210073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"My recovery, though slower than hoped for, is nevertheless assured."--Frederick William Borden</i>
</p><p>Barry and Len kiss and make up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recovery

**Author's Note:**

> written for the anon on tumblr who requested _Coldflash, "recovery"_. i present to you the end of this little series! all wrapped up with a nice little happy ending. hope you've enjoyed it!

Barry isn’t expecting Lisa to answer the door to Len’s safe house—and he definitely isn’t expecting the punch to the jaw he gets in lieu of a hello. He stumbles back and the small bouquet of flowers in his hand falls to the ground. He’s so busy rubbing the sore spot on his face he misses Lisa retrieve the flowers and bring them inside.

Barry isn’t aware he’s alone at the front door until said door is slammed in his face. He stares at the peeling wood blankly. If he peeks in through a hole in the door, he can faintly make out Lisa placing the flowers in a vase with water, but that’s all he can see. He’s too busy trying to come up with a plan B to realize Mick is looming behind him.

Mick shoves at his shoulder, startling a yelp from the speedster. “You’re in the way.” Mick points out as he steps up to the door and pushes it open. Barry watches him cross the threshold and stares with a gaping mouth as Mick leaves the door open. He can hear Lisa shouting from inside.

“Mick, you’re not supposed to make this _easy_ for him.”

Mick only grunts and Barry hears the sound of a lighter catching.

Barry is just about to step inside the house when Len appears in front of him. Barry takes in the older man’s appearance: haggard, tired, shoulders tense with anger and exhaustion. “What can we do for you today, Flash?” Len drawls with pseudo-confidence.

“I was hoping we could talk?” Barry’s voice is far steadier than he feels.

Len steps closer and blocks Barry’s view of the inside of the house. “I didn’t think we had anything to talk about.” Len shrugs but his eyes won’t meet Barry’s.

“I think we really do.” Barry nearly pleads. “I messed up.” He admits. “I should’ve gone after you, and we should’ve talked about this weeks ago.” Barry takes a cautious step forward and is pleased when Len counters it, steps back and lets Barry inside the safe house just a little bit. Barry flicks his gaze to where Lisa and Mick stand not far away. “Can we talk in private?”

Lisa is speaking before Len can. “Uh, _no_. Anything you wanna say to Lenny, you can say right here.”

Barry is somewhat relieved when Len shoots his sister a glare of his own, but the relief dissipates when Len doesn’t argue. “Yeah, Scarlet. You wanna talk? You have thirty seconds.”

Barry doesn’t groan, or grumble, or disagree. Instead, he launches into the explanation he’s spent a week rehearsing. “I was freaking out because first of all, Joe wasn’t supposed to be home at all that night so I _thought_ we’d have the night to ourselves. Secondly, I was freaking out because I didn’t even realize dating was on the table—and that’s not something that’s _only_ my fault!” Barry is quick to state. “You never once told me you wanted to date instead of just hook up!”

Len has the decency to look a little guilty.

“I wasn’t even sure if I wanted it to be on the table, but then you were storming off and you wouldn’t talk to me, and I didn’t know what to say either so I just—I just gave up.” Barry looks at his shoes in shame. “I didn’t know what to do, I kind of figured we’d just let it drop a-and go back to how things were before.”

Len’s scoff brings Barry’s gaze back up. He doesn’t speak no matter how pleading Barry’s look becomes.

So, the speedster keeps talking instead. “I’m not saying I’m in love with you,” Iris’ voice nags in the back of his mind, reminding Barry that he _so_ is. “I’m just—it was stupid of me to freak out, stupid of me to not try harder when you left, a-and, I’d really, _really_ like to try again.” Barry digs the heels of his hands into his eyes, takes a handful of deep breathes, then meets Len’s gaze head on. “Okay. There.”

Silence stretches. Mick isn’t watching them because his eyes are trained on the flame of his favorite lighter. Lisa is watching from the edge of the kitchen with her arms crossed and a scowl in place. Len stares at Barry like he’s staring at an early morning crossword puzzle: like he knows the answers but can’t quite make sense of them yet. Len eventually sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. He waves a distracted hand at Mick and Lisa, and to Barry’s surprise Lisa hauls Mick up by the arm and drags him away.

Finally, he and Len are alone.

“Len, look—!” Barry’s voice quells when Len holds up a hand.

“I may have… overreacted.” Len physically shudders at the admittance. “I was trying to ignore… us. What I wanted us to become.”

Barry doesn’t mention it, but he thoroughly enjoys the pinched expression on Len’s face.

Len continues. “I thought you wanted to keep it casual, so I tried to keep it casual. I didn’t think me staying over for dinner would be such a problem.” He holds up his hand again to prevent Barry from interrupting. “I _understand_ , however, why you… _freaked_ out.” Len’s face contorts with disgust at the word, far too juvenile.

Barry grins.

“You should know as well as anyone that heart-to-hearts are not my strong suit.” Len adds. “We both fucked up.”

Barry nods. “Wanna try again?” Barry takes another step inside the house and lets the door shut behind him. Without the night air chilling his back, the house feels almost too warm, almost dizzying. Barry isn’t deterred or distracted, though. He thrusts out a hand and doesn’t hold back the goofy, all-teeth grin splitting his lips. “I’m Barry Allen. Also known as the Flash.”

Len rolls his eyes and reaches out to take Barry’s hand. Rather than answering he yanks on the speedster’s arm and pulls him close. Their chests are pressed tight together and their breathing mingles. “You are such a kid sometimes, Scarlet.”

Barry’s toes curl in his shoes and his stomach flips pleasantly. “I’ve missed that.” He lets the words out, figuring now is as good a time as any to be sickeningly sweet and honest.

Len’s grin in response makes it worth it. It’s a soft grin, one that lights up his entire face and isn’t layered with anything mischievous or malicious. His hands find their home on Barry’s hips, and the speedster’s own hands clutch at Len’s shoulders. Len dips his face closer and their noses brush. “What are you doing to me, Barry Allen?”

A million responses form on the tip of Barry’s tongue but he holds them back for now. He just smiles back, equally blinding, and finally kisses Len on the lips again for the first time in weeks. It feels like warmth, and happiness, and contentedness. It’s far from perfection, there’s a bitter taste lingering on Len’s lips that might be beer or might be heartsickness. Barry isn’t sure but he takes it all in eagerly.

They kiss, slow and desperate, for several long minutes—until an awkward cough from the kitchen startles them.

Barry’s heart races for a moment and his mind goes back to the night with Joe. It’s not Joe, though, of course it’s not: it’s Mick, staring at the ground with a sour look on his face and pointedly ignoring how closer Barry and Len are standing. In a quiet, rumbling tone, Mick tells them, “Lisa says dinner is ready.” He looks up for a brief moment to glare at Barry.

 _Hurt him again, no one will ever find the body_.

Barry just nods at the unspoken words, and Mick leaves them alone again.

“So, Flash,” Len drawls as he leads Barry toward the kitchen. “Ready to meet the parents?” He taunts with an affectionate squeeze of his hand, linked with Barry’s.

Barry, though his legs are shaking and he’s more nervous than he’s been in years, keeps grinning. He nods in agreement—

“Ready.”

**Author's Note:**

> reminder that i'm taking one word prompts at [my tumblr](http://punk-rock-yuppie.tumblr.com/ask)!


End file.
